1 Kings 11:26

26 And Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda -- the name of whose mother [is] Zeruah, a widow woman -- servant to Solomon, he also lifteth up a hand against the king;

1 Kings 11:26 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 11:26

And Jeroboam the son of Nebat
According to some Jewish writers ^F18, this was Sheba the son of Bichri; but, as Kimchi observes, he was of the tribe of Benjamin, this of Ephraim; and besides, his head was cut off, and thrown over the wall to Joab, ( 2 Samuel 20:1 2 Samuel 20:22 ) ,

an Ephrathite of Zereda;
some where in the tribe of Ephraim, but nowhere else mentioned. There was a famous Jewish doctor, before the times of Christ, of this place, as it seems, who was called Jose ben Joezer, a man of Zereda ^F19:

Solomon's servant;
not only his subject, but one that had been advanced by him to an office, and served under him, ( 1 Kings 11:28 ) ,

whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman;
who very probably was supported by this her son, an industrious and ingenious man:

even he lifted up his hand against the king;
either against Solomon, by reproaching and reproving him for some things he did; or rather against Rehoboam his son, which was very ungrateful.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Shalshalet Hakabala, p. 11.
F19 Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 4.

1 Kings 11:26 In-Context

24 and gathereth unto himself men, and is head of a troop in David's slaying them, and they go to Damascus, and dwell in it, and reign in Damascus;

25 and he is an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, (besides the evil that Hadad [did]), and he cutteth off in Israel, and reigneth over Aram.

26 And Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda -- the name of whose mother [is] Zeruah, a widow woman -- servant to Solomon, he also lifteth up a hand against the king;

27 and this [is] the thing [for] which he lifted up a hand against the king: Solomon built Millo -- he shut up the breach of the city of David his father,

28 and the man Jeroboam [is] mighty in valour, and Solomon seeth the young man that he is doing business, and appointeth him over all the burden of the house of Joseph.